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“What I really get a kick out of is that they call their high school mascot, the ‘Syrupers,’ or something like that. Doggonest thing,” my neighbor, Stan, laughingly shared with me.
Stan and his smallish dog, Reggie, were heading up the street we both live on, Fantasy Way. My Yorkie, Nick, and I were headed toward them.
It was early afternoon; we paused to converse.
This gentle, elderly man’s habit, whenever encountering me, was to say something short and sweet. He always wore a smile and made me feel good.

As the Great Recession continues with no leadership from Washington D.C. and a state government that seems bent on punishing its own residents, economic growth for Gadsden County will only happen through local leadership, commitment and perseverance.

The pursuit of economic development and growth in this current climate is not for the meek or anyone easily discouraged. It will also require an energetic unity, goods lines of communications and wearing one's community pride like a badge.

Soon, members of the class of 2011 will step into the world amid optimistic speeches and witty greeting cards. Some will step seamlessly into their next phase in life, be it continuing education or gaining employment. For many, however, the state of the economy and corresponding high unemployment rate will stand as a barrier in efforts to engage society.
It’s critical those clutching their new diplomas understand that, by graduating, they have proven something to their family, friends and the world: They are achievers.

It was a small rally, but the speakers made some pretty strong points.
After all, the crowd had come out to rally against "racial discrimination." Racial discrimination in Florida's only black majority county in 2011. Just the idea seems strangely out of date and out of touch with what we like to think of as modern America. Even the advance flyers for the event sounded like they could have been printed for the last century.
But now we have a high profile lawsuit, or several hanging on that very serious allegation.

In denying reappointment interviews to two members to the Florida Public Service Commission, the PSC Nominating Council proves just how questionable the relationship between utilities and the entity that regulates it is.eeeeJust ask Nancy Argenziano: “This is a very dysfunctional and corrupt system,” said the PSC chairwoman, who is being shown the door in January at the end of her four-year term.

I have lived in Quincy all of my life and up until a few years ago, I have loved living here. We have some very noisy neighbors that have moved in and set up a dance hall across from Kelly’s Jr. No. 9.

Every weekend this so-called music is so loud you can’t sleep. This goes on until 2:30 and 3 a.m. I have called the police every weekend. Sometimes they might come out, but most of the time they don’t.

I read the April 22 paid advertisement that Dr. Sterling Watson submitted to your newspaper announcing his candidacy for the District 2 County Commission seat. As a current member of the Gadsden County Board of Commissioners (to whom he referred several times) I feel obligated to respond.

Last Thursday afternoon my community was shaken by a tornado. In the middle of the afternoon we were visited by an unwelcome stranger. It marched through our close knit serene neighborhoods leaving downed trees and power lines in its wake. Fortunately, there was only damage to property. No lives were lost; no one so much as got a splinter in his or her hand.

Sam Hawkins has to go to trial for a horse that Gadsden County killed and did not belong to him? Well, I am ashamed to tell anyone that I live in Gadsden County. Next time, county manager, don't overfeed the animal.

Mr. Mathis admitted in an oral statement to the Gadsden County Sheriff's Office that the horse belonged to him and not Mr. Hawkins, so why did the State Attorney's Office arrest the wrong man? When Mr. Hawkins was over the Gadsden County NAACP, he helped a lot of people in the county, but he also told the county commissioners and others when they were wrong.

I find it hard to believe that anyone in the city of Gretna is considering voting to re-elect city Commissioner Willie Fagg. Have the good folks in Gretna forgotten that Fagg called them stupid, ignorant black people? If a white person would have called you stupid and ignorant, you would have been outraged.

I am pleased to announce that Gadsden County will soon be embarking on a new era in health care. The recent signing of the lease between Capital Regional Medical Center and Gadsden County is the first step in providing this community much-needed health care services.

CRMC is addressing the immediate healthcare needs of the citizens of Gadsden County and the surrounding area. Our initial plans are to provide a full-service emergency department along with laboratory and radiology services.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that helped pass the half-cent sales tax to fund the hospital and indigent care in Gadsden County. There were many long, hot days in 2008, but all of you that supported health care in Gadsden County held to your convictions that everyone should have access to health care in Gadsden County.

If there was an Olympic medal for the most hypocritical politician, Rep. Alan Williams would win the gold for his March 1 Tallahassee Democrat op-ed. “Protecting our children should be a top priority,” he writes.